The Blood That Binds Us
by mikotoku
Summary: Crona is settling into life as the adopted son of Stein and Marie, enjoying his new role as a son/brother. As a red-headed bounty hunter is introduced to the family, having plenty of demons of her own to face, will the teenager take to her role as a student and weapon partner with grace, or resistance? Only time will tell, since blood runs thicker than water...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One- 'All Aboard? Risky Business on the Night Train!'**

 _(Soul Eater is owned by Atsuhi Okubo. The only things the author owns are the OC and story.)_

Darkness fell across the vast Nevada desert, scarcely a creature to be found. A town of tumble weeds rolled across the expanse before them, aimless towards some unknown destination. Beaming down on the darkened sand and cacti, the moon gave off its light, bathing a path in aid of nighttime predators. Its laughing face gleamed, relishing the thrill of the hunt of all below. Coyotes gathered in the distance, howling their mournful cries to the silent desert, singing their dirge of a melody. Faint clanging was heard upon the glistening lonely tracks, a coal train barreling into the night, smoke intermingling with dry, scorched air as it made way towards a manmade canyon, the rocky cliffs overhead concealing the awaiting observers.

"There it is."

"About time."

The impatient pair stood at the edge, relieved that their long night was swiftly coming to an end. They had been staking out for hours, waiting for said locomotive to come around the bend. Everything was set in their favor. All that was left was to board the train and eliminate the target, completing their fateful mission. It was a fairly simplistic task, one that they had done countless times. The bandaged woman looked to her partner, waiting on her meister's command. "Nygus," he said.

"Right."

In an instant, the woman before him was no more, transforming into a military-style knife, a perfect tool for close range combat. Sid reached out, grasping it as the knife edge shone bright, placing his weapon into a sheath strapped to his back. Taking a step closer, the zombie prepared to jump. He sighed, thinking how the job was almost _too_ easy for them, wondering why Lord Death tasked them with such a mission. This was something that could be easily handled by a student pair. His stomach growled, protesting at the late hour.

"Let's end this quick, we have a long way to go before we get back home."

"You got it."

The train finally made its way to their position, rushing past in a flurry of metal and smoke. The zombie contemplated the best time to jump board the railcar's top. ' _There_ ,' he thought. Just as he made his approach, landing in short order, Nygus picked up on another noise, alerting him. Nygus' innate hearing had picked up footsteps, heavy boots shifting through the sand upon the cliff as the noise was heard no more. Sid looked up just in time to see a figure careen off the cliff, howling out a screech similar to a banshee, joining in with the coyote.

"YEE HAW!"

"Crona, could you be a dear and pass the salt?"

"Yeah, uh, sure…"

The pink-haired boy struggled to grab the condiment, slowly handing it over to the blonde woman, finagling around his weapon, Ragnarök. Resting atop his head, he greedily snarfed down his meal, berating him for moving. Marie smiled, thanking him for the trouble. Crona returned to his dinner, glancing up to take in the scene before him. He marveled at much things have changed in just a year's time.

Stein sat next to the woman's side, nodding as she discussed upcoming lesson plans, careful not to give the boy too many clues so she wouldn't be accused of playing favorites. With the Kishin vanquished, everything had returned almost to normal, with a new development. Marie and Stein had announced soon after they had decided to date that they were getting married, the scientist proposing after the pair discovered they were expecting. The blonde weapon was getting all she ever wanted in life, a loving husband and a bundle of joy well on the way. There was just one loose end to tie up.

Knowing that Crona's continued presence at the academy was something he did with some anxiety. The boy had been apprehensive about a number of things, namely what would become of him after the destruction of the Kishin. With his mother gone, he appeared almost lost, going through the motions of life with hardly any notice. She smiled at the memory of sitting the meister down, asking her fiancé how he would feel if they adopted Crona. He had given a nod of approval, stating he thought it was a splendid idea. After all, while Crona and Ragnarök were a pair, they were technically the same person, restricting him to continue living in the dungeon, unable to get a student apartment, a privilege reserved for two people. The boy had been hesitant meeting them, anxious over what they could want to talk about. He had broken down crying when they told him, offering to adopt him after the wedding. Crona was overjoyed with the news, the sensitive child weeping happily over being apart of a family unit. Ragnarök had begrudgingly agreed, unable to take on his vast ideas of traveling alone.

Hearing a light cry from the other room, Marie had begun to stand to tend to the infant as the boy stopped her, telling her he could handle it, something he thought he'd never say. Walking into the nursery, Crona called gently to the child, picking her up and cradling her in his arms. The baby smiled and cooed at the pink-haired teen, lighting up at seeing her elder brother. Little Aura reached up, laughing as she yanked a stray chunk of his hair, making him flinch in pain.

"No Aura, it's not playtime. You need to rest now. Shh…" he said, rocking the infant, coaxing her to sleep. Though it was trying at times, he enjoyed his new role, being a sibling.

As the silver-haired baby closed her eyes, nestling against his chest, his heart felt warm, knowing the child was calming his overly anxious wavelength. Even at only a couple months old, Aura was showing skills similar to her mother, her soul radiating a golden hue. He smiled, placing her back in the crib, heading back out to the dining room. Crona had been in awe when he first held her as a newborn, thinking of all the possibilities the future held for her. Conversations were regularly held between her parents over whether she would be a meister or a weapon, both voicing their hopes and dreams for their child. Crona had kept his opinions to himself, content that either way, Aura would be just fine. He had a feeling she would grow to be as powerful as either parent, stronger even. The teen had just sat back down when a knocking was heard at the door, causing the baby to cry yet again. Marie excused herself as Stein opened the door, looking to sooth the child back to sleep.

"Nygus, how can I help you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you could help our little friend here…"

Pointing behind her, Sid met his gaze, holding an unconscious girl. Her hat barely clung to her head as her bright red hair flowed over the zombie's arm, her right arm tightly bound in a makeshift splint. He noted that the teenager was drenched in sweat, huffing heavily as her flushed face burned red. Stein looked the man over, looking as though he had been in a brawl. He put two and two together, groaning as he asked, "Geez Sid. Just what'd you do to her?"

"Trust me, I had no choice."

"Come on in. Head back to the clinic, I'll be there in a minute."

Thanking him, the pair heading back with the young woman in tow, Crona glancing up as Stein approached him.

"Hate to ask, but I could really need some help with this one. Feel up for learning how to put a cask on?"

"Sure, no problem."

He smiled at his son, always willing to help others in need, something that had given him the original thought of teaching Crona about medicine. Due to his keen interest in perusing Stein's vast collection of medical books, asking him random questions on procedures, inserting new terms he had learned into conversation, the scientist had inquired into what Crona wanted to do after he graduated the academy.

"Honestly, I hadn't given it much thought," he had replied to the question.

"Really? Cause it seems you have an interest in medicine. I'd be more than happy to show you some things if you are."

The offer had caught the teen off guard, unsure whether to accept or not. Stein had put a hand on his shoulder, seemingly reading his mind as he stated, "It's not something you have to decide now. Just figured since you had said you wanted to help others, the medical field's a good way to go." Crona had looked up, a determined look in his eyes, eagerly accepting the doctor to teach him. Stein had grinned, giving the boy a look of warm encouragement, thinking that with his gentle, caring nature that Crona could make a marvelous doctor someday.

As father and son entered the clinic, they set right to work, the doctor asking him to apply electrodes to the girl's torso as he prepared an IV line and a sedative, lest they risk the young woman waking during the procedure. Crona complied, gingerly removing the dusty button-up shirt and leather vest on her. Though awkward, he went about his task, knowing that he would need to get over his modesty if he was going to be a successful physician, or nurse, he wasn't certain yet.

He glanced over the feverish teen, chest heaving heavily against her tightly bound chest, locating the source of the fever, notifying Stein. Just below her left collarbone, a two inch gash stretched out towards her shoulder, haphazardly held together by a navy blue string. The wound was inflamed, puss oozing out as irritated, reddened skin snaked out from its origin, part of the red streaks webbing down her chest, partly covered by the constrictive binding.

"Well, she's not going to like this, but." Stein stated, swiftly cutting the fabric away, Crona blushing as he turned from her, her chest bared for all to see, "it had to be done." He gagged at the smell coming from the infection, mingling in the air with the smell of someone who hadn't bathed in weeks. It was enough to make the boy's stomach turn, at risk of losing his dinner.

The doctor looked to his son, sighing as he put the bed sheet over her chest, encouraging him to apply the monitors. Completely his chest, he looked up to see Stein filling two syringes, one with a liquid he noticed as the sedative, another with a different colored fluid he hadn't seen before.

"What's that?" the teen questioned. The scientist turned around, replying, "Penicillin. We need to get ahead of that infection before it progresses."

He nodded as Stein approached the bed, preparing to plunge the IV's needle into her arm. Right before the shiny metal met pale flesh, his wrist was gripped by a dust-covered hand, the girl's emerald eyes glaring him down as he stared blankly back at the girl. Her voice shook as she struggled against the fever.

"Touch me wit' _that_ and yur pullin' back a stump."

The doctor cleared his throat, his voice taking on a neutral but calm tone.

"Hello. My name is Dr. Stein. You are in Death City at my clinic. You have a broken arm and a bad infection in your shoulder. I need to start an IV line so I can treat you."

The girl stared back at him skeptically, finally replying, "Watcha usin' for th' pain?" He answered, stating he was using morphine. The girl relaxed, releasing him as she reclined back onto the pillow. Her exhausted eyes looked to the clear fluid, eager for something to take away the pain as she gained her bearings.

"Th' good shit, huh? Well in that case, hit me up. Come on, time's a wastin."

He complied, inserting the needle in, taping the line in place as he prepared the penicillin.

"Wait, wait, woah. Watcha doin'?"

"I can't set your arm until I give the antibiotic and get that infection under control. If it spreads and gets to your heart, game over kid."

She chuckled, starting to shake from the chills ravaging her taunt body.

"Thinka' broken arm wud take priority over a little cut."

Stein grabbed the medicine, coming into her line of sight as he spoke.

"Not when you could go septic on me. No offense, but I don't feel like putting your system into shock and having you die on my table."

The young woman groaned, apparently in no great deal of pain, paying no mind to the fractured arm, using the splint to scratch her head. Crona stood on the other side of the bed, flinching as the girl turned her attention to him.

"So, _Ol'_ _screwhead_ introduced himself. What's _your_ name, pink hair?"

"Uh, Crona. Nice to meet you."

The girl laughed, stating, "Eh, give it some time..." Stein narrowed his eyes, asking to get some basic information from her, like her name, for instance.

"Jesse McCoy."

Scribbling down some notes, Stein went on, asking her age. "Sixteen, and that's all you're gettin'," the young woman stated, clearly done with the conversation. Exhaling sharply, he motioned her to release him, taking out a pair of scissors.

"Watcha' got those for?"

"I need to cut off your jeans. The penicillin needs to go in your thigh."

"I can get em off," Jesse insisted. "Sure you can manage?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah…"

The young woman glared at the men, unwilling to undress in front of them. Stepping back, Stein pulled the curtain, blocking the girl from view. As he turned to discuss some things with Crona, they heard a loud clanging, ripping open the curtain to see the girl on the floor, collapsing as she knocked over the sterile table of tools and syringes, shoving the sharp instruments away from her.

"Miss?"

"Git away from me!" the teenager yelled, dragging herself across the tiled floor.

"Just where are you going?" Stein inquired, curious over the child's change of heart.

Crawling the other direction, she called back, "If ya ain't gonna knock me out, then I don' want it! I hate needles!"

He sighed, stating, "Fine. Crona? Help me get her into bed."

"Oh. Okay…"

As the boy reached to her, she slapped his hand away, giving him a death glare.

"Don' touch me," she grumbled, breathing heavily from the fever, "I can git up myself…"

Standing, her knees buckled, giving way as she fell, the men catching her.

"I told ya I can do it by myself."

"Yeah, I can see that," Stein replied, ignoring her as they helped her back into bed. Preparing another sterile set of instruments, he asked, "So, mind telling me what you were doing hopping on a train in the middle of the desert?"

Jesse reclined on the bed, closing her eyes as the doctor inserted the IV line into her inner elbow, noting the clean circle of flesh left over from Crona wiping down her arm.

"Someone I needed to pay a long overdue visit."

"Oh?" he inquired, "And who might that be? Sid?"

"Whose Sid?"

"The meister you attacked."

"Oh, the zombie. No, he jus got in my way. I wanted the bastard inside the train. O'Malley. Yeah, I've had it out for 'im for a while…" Jesse trailed off as the sedative was injected, lulling her into a much needed sleep. The girl hadn't rested in days, tracking her target down as the infection spread, having its way with the frail, injured body. The girl's weakened and sleep deprived state made a perfect breeding ground for the wound to fester.

The doctor and apprentice went to work, cutting off the girl's jeans and injected the much needed medicine into her thigh. Stein, asking Crona for more light, set about cutting away the hack job of stitches, sickly puss emanating from the wound. Debriding the wound, he brought the ends of the cut together, replacing the old stitches with clean, concise sutures, hoping to give the girl a better looking scar. After that was taken care of, he excused Crona, stating the boy needed some rest before school the following day. The anxious boy begrudgingly agreed, asking him to call if the doctor needed any more assistance.

Giving Jesse an X-ray, he pleased to find that Sid had given the girl a clean break, albeit straight across the radius and ulna. Stein's eyes narrowed as he saw other light breaks, curious as he deciphered their possible causes. Fighting, perhaps? Abuse? He prayed not. Either way, the girl had a hard life, deeming it highly probable he would find other fractures if he'd examine the rest of her. Setting the arm, he called back Crona, remembering he had told him that he would show the boy how to make a cast. After their work was done, the two went into the main house, settling in for the evening.

The doctor walked through, locking doors and windows, checking in on his infant as he walked across the hallway to his bedroom, his wife fast asleep. He sighed, looking at the clock. Stein was thankful that he wasn't one who needed much sleep, additionally grateful that his son wasn't one for much either. Getting dressed, he sat on the side of the bed, glancing over at his bride, her resting face putting his mind at ease. Groaning, he swung his legs over, cursing his overly used body for its complaints. No time for complaining, he needed sleep. Between teaching class and caring for his new patient, the next day was going to be a long one. Spooning Marie, the blonde woman stirred, smiling as she mumbled to her exhausted husband.

"I love you."

"Hm, love you too."

 _Author's Note:_

 _I hope y'all enjoyed chapter one!_

 _I find the new family dynamic between the four kind of sweet._

 _So, what kind of person is this Jesse McCoy, and how will she react in the morning?_

 _And why was she after this O'Malley character?_

 _Stay tuned!_

 _As always, reviews are encouraged and greatly appreciated!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two- 'Jesse Awakes! A Fateful Introduction?'**

 _(Author's Note: Soul Eater is owned by Atsuhi Okubo._

 _The only things owned by the author are the OCs and story.)_

"Ugh, where am I?" Jesse asked to no one, squinting her eyes against the bright overhead lights. The girl squirmed against the firm mattress, unable to get comfortable. Grabbing the pillow, she swiftly put it over her face, the red-head's mind spinning from the sedative's effects wearing off, the fluorescent lighting starting to give her a headache. Groaning, the teen gave up, relenting to the fact that sleep would not be returning her to its ranks.

Sitting up, she took in her surroundings, wincing at her stiff, uncooperative muscles. Between her head and body, she felt like a truck had hit her. Everything appeared blurry at first, a sterile room slowly coming into focus, the half opened curtain revealing a nearby shelf filled with random bottles and medical equipment.

'A hospital. Well, that answers that,' she thought, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, having to pause to get her bearings. Fragments of memory rushed back to her, recalling the course of the evening's events. Jesse recalled landing on the train, confronting a zombie-like creature that demanded to know what she was doing there. Steadying herself against the rush of wind atop the train and the chill radiating throughout her body, she had simply grinned. It made no difference whether or not she told him. First rule of bounty hunting; never divulge your target.

The teen had rushed the opposition, turning her arm into a broad blade, the sharp edge whizzing past the zombie's face as he dodged the assailant. Sliding down the length of the railcar, she had swiftly pivoted to run at him again, ignoring the protests of her weakened arms and legs. 'I have to keep going,' she had thought. He would not let that bastard get away. O'Malley would die that night. He had to pay, he had to. After what he'd done, ten years was ten too long to live.

Sid was able to avoid the teen with ease, noting the girl's fatigued look and hastened breathing. He was impressed she was able to keep up her assaults as long as she had, but he needed to end this quickly. If this continued any longer, O'Malley would get wise to the commotion and get away. He could not allow a Kishin Egg such an easy out. The red-head was not making it easy on him, with each unhinged parry and dodge, the zombie professor was growing impatient.

Side stepping the child, Sid grabbed her from behind, holding her free arm behind her back as he attempted to grab the weapon's transformed appendage, wincing as the blade grazed across his thigh. Waiting for his chance, the meister managed to grasp the other arm, bringing the other to her front to wrap around the teen's neck, putting her in an improvised headlock.

The teen wasn't having it, yanking her head backward to nail him in the face, the tall zombie grunting as blood ran freely from his nose. Attempting to take advantage of the distraction, Jesse had twisted her weaponized arm away from him, swinging it wildly behind her as the meister caught it once again, giving the forearm a swift twist, the girl wailing out in pain as bone snapped. Giving a well-placed neck chop, the girl crumpled to the ground, Sid grabbing the child before she fell off the train. Hearing Nygus call to him, the pair soon realized that their target was no longer on the train, most likely fleeing during their fight.

Picking up the red-head, Sid hopped off, landing on the dusty ground beside the rails, watching as the locomotive continued its lone voyage into the night. Sighing in frustration, Sid continued holding the teen as Nygus transformed back into her human form. Debating amongst themselves, the pair decided to head back to Death City, taking the unknown weapon with them, knowing she'd need medical attention.

Jesse had come to at one point, voicing her objections, but far too weak and ill to resist. She had fallen back asleep soon after, finding herself in the presence of a doctor and pink-haired youth when she awoke.

Exhaling sharply, she glanced around the building, eventually locating the exit. The red-head, though thankful for the medical attention, had no inclination in staying around to find out what the pair had planned for her. Standing up, the teen winced, feeling a pain in her ankle. Taking a labored step forward, she paused, sensing a bit of a breeze. Jesse glanced down to discover she was clad in a loose-fitting gown, held precariously in place by the upper strings. 'The hell are my clothes?' she wondered. Oh well, she'd find some later.

Limping over to the exit, she eyed a pile of clothes on the counter, a note placed gingerly to the top. Reaching out, the red-head squinted at the lettering, holding it out at arm's length. The delicate writing stated there was a shower in the corner of the clinic, offering her a fresh set of clothes as hers were being washed. Sniffing an armpit, she flinched. The girl _did_ smell something awful.

Putting the clothing under her arm, Jesse slowly made her way to the bathroom, praying a shower would ease her straining muscles. It didn't disappoint. Though it took some finagling to keep her bound arm out, she relished the feeling of a nice, hot shower. She could hardly recall the last time she bathed, let alone enjoyed the novelty of warm water. Washing herself the best she could, the teen took a few minutes just to stand under the showerhead, her mind contemplating her next move. Not much she could do until her clothes were dried, perhaps some social interaction wouldn't hurt, she reasoned, not talking to another human being in quite some time.

Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself off, loving the soft, plushy material of the towel. It seemed out of place against the harsh sterile nature of the clinic, figuring that a woman must live there. The conclusion was the only one that made sense to her, knowing a man could care less about the hominess of a house, let alone the quality of a drying cloth. The note's delicate handwriting gave additional evidence of a feminine presence, putting the teen much more at ease. She always felt more comfortable around other women, most likely to the fact that most were harmless and far less likely to attack her.

Getting dressed, Jesse examined her cast, sparing a glance at her newly stitched shoulder, the sutures grazing against the cotton button-up.

"Guess this'll have ta do," she said, looking at herself in the mirror.

The jeans she wore felt nice against her clean skin, the tank top and long sleeve shirt complementing her figure, much to her chagrin. 'Gotta have some bandages in here somewhere,' she thought, digging through the clinic supplies, locating some fabric to bind her chest.

Sitting on a nearby bench, she pushed down the top, tossing the long sleeve to the side as she went about awkwardly wrapping the stretchy cloth around her, hating the indication of her growing womanhood. The teen knew it was inevitable, but still, she couldn't stand it.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she redressed, absently wrapping her hair in a tie she had found, pulling the rusty tresses up into a ponytail. The young woman walked to the exit, feeling a tinge of pain once again in her ankle. 'Guess I sprung it when I jumped on the train. Oh well,' Jesse thought, walking down the hallway to another brightly lit room, recognizing it as a dining room.

Before her, the young woman watched as the family ate, a happy scene far and distant from her memory. A silver-haired man she recognized had a mouthful of pancakes as he looked up, nodding in acknowledgement of her presence. A similarly colored haired infant was held in the crook of his arm, the pink-haired boy from the night before had his back to the girl. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she grimaced.

'A perfect angle to cut yur throat,' she thought, unappreciative of the inept position he took, his back to the front door. 'Someone could easily get in here an' have blood in yur breakfast before you blink.' She couldn't wrap her brain around the lack of tact, hastily giving up figuring him out.

A blonde woman entered from the kitchen, making the young lady flinch. After a moment of hesitation, Jesse gave a light nod, her assumption of a female living there confirmed. Her hazel eyes lit up at her, smiling a warm smile only a mother could give. 'Mother…' Jesse felt her heart in her throat as the woman spoke.

"Oh, well look who's awake! I'm Marie!" the woman stated, placing a hand to her chest. Motioning to the two men at the table, she said, "This is Stein and Crona, you met them last night. And the little bundle of joy right there is our daughter, Aura!"

Placing her hands on her hips, Marie held her warm smile in place as she asked, "And what's your name, sweetheart?"

"Uh, Jesse," the red-head offered, her bubbly greeting taking her aback.

"Well, Jesse, would like to join us? I'm sure you're starving. Oh, wait, can she eat, dear? You don't have anything else you need to do, right?"

"No, she's fine," Stein stated, glad his overly friendly wife recalled, making a prior student vomit when she encouraged food too soon.

Pulling out a chair, Marie motioned to the young woman, Jesse slowly walking over to take a seat. The red-head felt awkward sitting amongst the family, finding the plate in front of her quickly filled with pancakes. The blonde prided herself on being a good host, vowing no one would leave her home hungry. The teen poked at her food, not particularly feeling like eating. To hell with it, she'd at least try.

Reaching out for the butter, Jesse found her hand grazing another, Crona's hand frozen in place. Glancing over at him, the girl found the youth blushing slightly at the contact, recalling having to undress the teen the night before. Yanking back his hand, the red-head gave him a perplexed look, continuing to stare at the boy as she slathered her breakfast. 'What's his problem?' she wondered, finding amusement from his shrinking away from her staring. Sparing a grin, Jesse looked away, pouring a healthy amount of syrup before quickly devouring her meal, surprising herself with how hungry she really was.

Taking a sip of coffee, Stein paused, noting the swift nature in which their guest shoveled the food into her mouth. Marie simply smiled, taking it as a compliment to her cooking skills. Little did she know, the red-head could care less of the quality of the food, long as she had something in her stomach.

After the dishes were cleared, Crona walked back to his room, needing to get ready for school. Marie offered Jesse some coffee while refilling Stein's mug, their baby cooing with delight as she played with the stethoscope around her father's neck.

"Sure," she replied, the teen and doctor soon left alone as the blonde returned to the kitchen, washing dishes before preparing for work.

The doctor watched as the teen took a sip, grimacing at the bitter taste.

"We have some cream and sugar," he offered, bouncing the infant on his knee.

Placing the cup back down, Jesse replied, "No thanks. Really needs some whiskey, if I'm honest, but I get th' feelin' that might be too much to ask."

"You're not wrong," he said, reasoning that he couldn't really give a minor booze, mentioning he couldn't even if he wanted to, since they didn't keep any in the house.

"Really? That's a damn shame," the teen stated, taking another sip.

"I'm off to school," Crona called, walking past the pair to the front door, Marie leaning out of the kitchen to wave at her son.

"Have a good day dear! We'll see you in a little bit."

"Kay," he replied, pausing to look at the red-head again before closing the door, a light blush coming to his shy face.

Turning back to the doctor, Jesse took a sip before stating, "Shy little shit, ain't he?"

Fall had found its way to Death City, setting the trees in an array of yellows, oranges, and reds. Stray leaves were taken up by random gusts of wind, sending its little passengers dancing delicately throughout the air. Some landed in a nearby lake, the brilliant shades of fire a sight to behold as people passed through the park. Crona had left a little early, but he found taking the way to the park well worth it, enjoying the changing foliage as he made his way to the academy.

The youth's brows furrowed as he adjusted his tie, not yet used to the new article. Though most of the students wore whatever they pleased, Crona liked the thought of wearing a uniform, finding it much easier to get ready in the morning. The thought of scrambling through a menagerie of clothing to compile an outfit gave him a slight panic attack. The boy was used to wearing one thing, his old robe still hanging up in his closet. One thing at a time, he reasoned.

Passing by a coffee shop, Ragnarök burst out of his back, startling the boy as he hollered, "Hey! I want coffee!" The little weapon yanked at the boy's head, pulling him in the opposite direction towards the shop.

"We don't have time, we're gonna be late!" Crona protested, wincing as his partner squeezed the sides of his face together, not having it.

"Come on! It'll only take a minute! I dealt with your stupid tree watching, I deserve something too!" he exclaimed, banging his tiny hands on top of the youth's head.

"Ouch! That hurts, stop it! Okay, okay, we'll go!" Crona yelled, relenting to his partner.

"Finally!" the weapon exclaimed, motioning the pink-haired boy to hurry.

Waiting for what felt like an eternity, the pair finally made it to the front of the line, waiting on the customer in front of them, the anxious teen checking his watch.

"I don't know why you need more coffee," he mumbled, adding, "you had plenty at home."

"This coffee's better!" the tiny weapon insisted, Crona shuffling to the front as the well-endowed barista turned around, bright green eyes lighting up upon seeing them.

"Hiya Crona! Hiiii Ragnarök! How're my two fav rave customers doing?"

Crona grimaced as his partner draped over the top of his head, attempting to get as close to the barista as possible.

"Better now we got to see you! What's cooking, good looking?" he teased, his cross marked eyes giving off as much expression as they could.

The vivacious shopkeeper giggled, holding a hand up to her face as she waved the other, playing their flirty little game.

"Oh, stop it, you! You're lucky you're cute. The usual, I take it?" she asked, already setting to work on his order.

"Yup, and make it like you, hot and spicy!" Ragnarök proclaimed, his meister paying and walking to the side of the counter to wait.

Crona glared up indignantly at his partner, feeling embarrassed enough for the both of them. He should've known. The demon sword had made it a habit to come by this shop during the summer, hitting shamelessly on the busty barista. The youth had once went through his weekly allowance in one day due to the weapon's insistence on spending more time in the store, ogling the bubbly little brunette behind the counter. The boy had never thought about it before, but he guessed that even a demon sword could find people appealing. It was harmless enough, not like he could _do_ anything about it. Guess he had to get his kicks somehow.

Picking up his order, the pair gave their farewells, exiting the store as Ragnorak greedily chugged down his beverage. Checking his watch once more, Crona flinched, causing the cup to tip further back than the weapon intended, choking on the steaming hot drink.

"Hey! I'm drinking here!" he yelled, ignored by his meister as the youth began to run towards the school.

"I told you we'd be late! We have ten minutes to get to class now!"

"Eh, who cares? Not like the nutty professor takes attendance. We'll be fine." Ragnorak stated, finishing off his cup as he tossed it over his shoulder, his partner having to pivot around to pick it up, rushing past a trash can as he threw it in.

Making his way up the long staircase, Crona had to stop once he reached the top, panting heavily through a stitch in his side. Preparing to take off, the pair halted when the heard a commotion behind them, Marie smiling from ear to ear as she greeted the stragglers, little Aura in tow with an additional passenger.

"Cripes, I can walk, ya know?!"

The red headed teen was being unceremoniously dragged by the collar up the stairs, unable to get out of the blonde weapon's insanely strong grasp. Stein found it appropriate to arrange a meeting between Lord Death and herself, deeming it necessary since weapons weren't permitted to be left to their own devices. A talk was had for possible enrollment, something the teen was extremely resistant against.

"I don' need no school! I got enough education!" she had protested.

"Hate to break it to you, but this is out of our control," Stein had replied, adding that the professors had no choice, being mandatory reporters of independent weapons.

"Marie?" Crona asked, curious over the woman's captive.

"Oh, hello dear!" she happily greeted, gaining strange looks from passerby. The young woman behind her drug her feet as she was pulled backwards, crossing her arms as she was held up by the back of her collar.

"Um, what are you doing?" he asked, his weapon bursting out to get a better look at the spectacle.

"You taking hostages now?" he inquired, warranting a wide eyed look of shock from the red-head.

"Ah, tha' tumor spoke!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at his tiny partner, causing the blonde to laugh at her.

"That's…Ragnorak. It's a long story, but he's Crona's weapon partner." The woman explained.

Jesse cringed at the sight of the black figure, resting his stubby arms on top of the meister's head. Ignoring the teen's disgust, Marie glanced over, asking, "Will you walk on your own now?"

Grumbling, the girl slowly nodded, standing upright as the blonde professor released her, keeping her arms crossed. She didn't understand what all the fuss was about. The teen had been on her own for a long time, making a successful living bounty hunting. What was the big deal? It's not like she was a danger to anyone. She had complete control over her abilities, the girl had no need for schooling. The teen had graduated from the school of hard knocks. She was well aware how the world works.

"Waste of time," she muttered under her breath, head bowed as she followed behind the woman, Marie waving to her son as she made her way to the Death Room.

"You better hurry, Crona. You're going to be late."

Panicking, the boy rushed off in the opposite direction, his weapon lurching back at the youth's speed, berating him before disappearing once more.

Arriving at their destination, the two weapons walked down the long, narrow path, Jesse glancing up to view the guillotine archways, involuntarily gulping. Normally calm and collected in the face of danger, the teen was growing exceedingly nervous. Meeting the Lord of Death, as she understood, was a grand occasion, whether or not under favorable circumstances. That notion, in this instance, was up for debate. What would he think of her? Would he agree to make her a student, or would he find her unworthy of such prestige, taking her soul in retaliation? Jesse wasn't sure how much information they had gathered about her, and depending on what they found out, this encounter may turn out to be a fateful one.

Approaching the middle of the vast room, two figures slowly came into view, a tall, spiky black-hooded being, and a shorter yet tall red-haired man, donned in a black suit and cross-shaped tie. Both men turned to the women, the man's blue eyes and reaper's mask giving away nothing.

Jesse paused at the bottom of the short steps up to the main platform, Marie warmly greeting the awaiting pair. The teen was taken aback by the uncharacteristic nature of the men, both momentarily focused on the baby. The Lord of Death lifted the child up into the air, little Aura giggling with delight at her new playmate. After a few minutes, Marie glanced back, giving the girl a questioning look.

Gaining the men's attention, the pair leaned around the woman to get a better look at the teen, curious over the girl's hesitance. Waving over at Jesse, Lord Death called out, "Come on up, we won't bite."

The red-head teen flinched at the informal invite, the reaper's goofy mask and high pitched voice breaking all preconceptions she had of the being. She started to relax. 'Maybe this won't be so bad,' she thought, braving a few steps forward, standing a few feet from the trio before she knew it. Jesse's eyes followed the red-haired man as he passively handed a file to Lord Death, the immortal being opening it up to swiftly look through the paperwork, akin to flipping through a deck of cards. Closing it abruptly, the grim reaper turned to look the teen over, the being noting the girl's nervousness, picking at her finger nails as she waited.

"So, Miss McCoy," he began, leaning forward to the teen, finishing his statement in a somewhat sing-song voice, "you've been rather busy…What should we do with _you_?"

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hope y'all enjoyed chapter two!_

 _After reviewing her file, what will Lord Death decide to do with Jesse?_

 _Will she become the newest student at the DWMA, or will her past deeds seal her fate?_

 _Stay tuned and find out!_

 _As always, reviews are encouraged and greatly appreciated._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three- 'Dancing on the Razor's Edge? School Bells Ring as the Leaves Fall!'**

 _(Author's Note: Soul Eater is owned by Atsushi Okubo. The only things the author owns are the OCs and story.)_

"Oi, Crona. What's up?"

"Hm?" the youth asked, glancing at the silver-haired weapon out of his periphery.

"You look like death warmed over. Everything okay?"

The pink-haired teen never looked healthy, but he was looking especially bad that day. The dark circles under his eyes were especially pronounced, appearing even darker in contrast to his pale skin, taking on a sickly appearance. Soul's question gained the group's attention, all eyes on the shy boy, making him nervous.

"Yeah, just…didn't get much sleep, last night. We had, a patient come in late."

Soul sat back in his seat, placing his feet up on the desk.

"Oh, that sucks. Must've been pretty bad if Stein was having you work on a school night."

Pushing his legs off the table, Maka turned to face her friend, concern etched into her features.

"You know you can tell him no if you don't want to, right?" she asked, still working with him on gaining his confidence.

"Oh, I know, but it's fine. I really don't mind it. Stein's been teaching me a lot about medicine. He doesn't have to, so I'm thankful he takes the time." Crona said, giving a nervous smile as he waved his hand, hoping to downplay his fellow meister's concerns.

Though he was called often to assist his adopted father, he honestly liked being of help to Stein, finding a sense of pride at finding a way to be useful. He owed his new parents so much, and wanted to be the best son he could be. Not only that, but he wanted to be a good example to his little sister, a duty he took very seriously.

Appearing satisfied, Maka relaxed, leaning back in her seat, impatiently looking at the clock. She was one of the few students in existence that couldn't wait for class to start, having a number of questions for the professor on the prior day's lesson.

Black Star glanced down from his perch, forced to sit a few rows back from the group. Stein had placed him away from Soul, since the pair had the bad habit of roughhousing during class.

"So you're gonna be a doctor when you grow up? That's cool, I guess."

Standing up on his chair, the spiky-haired meister gained the attention of his friends, stomping a foot up on the wooden table in front of him.

"Tell you what, you can be my doc when I make it big. The world will soon know the big star in their midst! Ya hoo!" he hollered out, warranting a cringe from the other adolescents. Soul leaned back in his chair, glaring up at his raucous classmate.

"Geez man, cool it. So, who was the patient? Anyone we know?" he asked, a note of concern apparent in his countenance. Students regularly showed up at the scientist's clinic, injured from the missions they were sent out on. It was a different sort of school, its student body risking their lives every time they left the protective confines of the city.

"Quit it, Soul! You know he can't tell us that." Maka exclaimed, apologizing to Crona for the inappropriate question.

"It's okay. No, it's not anyone we know."

Crona explained a few events of the evening, careful not to divulge the youth's name, Stein stressing the importance of patient privacy. There had been rumors circulating that a red-haired teen with a cast on was seen with Marie, heading to the Death Room.

"Huh. Well, if she's going to see Lord Death, she might end up being a student here." Kid said, interested in another addition to the class.

"I-I don't know…" he trailed off. Judging by their interaction that morning, she seemed kind of scary to him. He silently hoped the abrasive girl wouldn't be placed in their class, not feeling he could deal with it.

"I know one thing, she's a massive bitch!" a high pitched voice called out, Ragnorak bursting out of his back, startling the class.

"She called me a tumor. A tumor! Can you believe that?!" he exclaimed, shoving his stubby hands into his meister's head as he leaned over, spilling his woes to whoever would listen.

"Well, you kind of are one…" Soul said, balancing himself on the back legs of the chair, bored out of his mind. Stein was taking his sweet time getting there. He was tempted to skip if he was forced to wait any longer.

"Eh, more like a parasite really." Maka said, pondering the demon sword's proper definition.

The tiny weapon flinched at such a name, angrily yelling at the group.

"Screw you guys! With friends like you, who the hell needs enemies?"

With that, their friend's annoying side kick disappeared into his body, silently hurt at being considered such a thing.

The youngest Thompson sister finally turned her head to Crona, previously distracted by the season's last butterfly flying by the window.

"Hm…Crona? Is she going to live with you guys?" she asked, causing the pink-haired teen to flinch.

"Maybe?" he said, his statement coming off as more like a question. Part of him hoped not, not sure how to deal with living in the same building with a girl his age, let alone talk to her.

"I got it!," Patty proclaimed, slamming her hands on the desk, startling Crona at the action.

"She could be your new partner!" she said, holding a finger up.

The group lit up, looking to encourage the shy meister.

"That's right! Ragnorak's been getting smaller, and it's been hard for you to use him. You have been looking around for a while," Tsubaki reminded him, always the voice of reason for the group.

"This new girl's a weapon, right? What kind is she?"

"Um…a sword, from what I could gather." Crona replied, not liking where the conversation was going.

"That could work out." She said, giving a warm smile at the thought.

"Guys, we don't even know if she wants to be a student here. Let's put the brakes on the match-making for now, _Patty_." Kid stated, stressing the last part of his statement.

"Huh? Match-making?" Maka asked, giving the young reaper a questioning look.

"Ahhhh, but it'd be so perfect!" the short-haired weapon said, giddy at the notion of pairing up another set of students.

"Patty, please." Kid pleaded, holding a hand up to the weapon.

Liz laid her head on the desk, groaning at her sister's enthusiasm.

"Oh man…I shouldn't have lent her that damn book. She's been such a hopeless romantic lately," the teen lamented, handing her sibling a YA romance novel in the hopes of encouraging her to read something other than alphabet books. If she heard what sound a fox made one more time…

"Hm? But sis, I was right about Soul and Maka. Not to mention you and-"

"Okay!" Liz yelled, slapping her hand over her sibling's mouth.

Everyone but Kid was giving her a confused look, the young reaper going wide-eyed at the close slip-up. Both of them were still trying to figure where their relationship was going, if it was going anywhere. They didn't feel like having it front page news, the pair exhausting all efforts to bribe the younger Thompson sister to keep her mouth shut.

Glancing down, she gave Patty a wide smile, stating that the trio should go get ice cream after school, a notion that completely derailed the bubbly blonde's train of thought.

"Yay! Ice cream! I'm gonna get the triple Neapolitan!" she proclaimed, her older sister grimacing.

"Uh, sis, that's _nine_ scoops."

"I know." She said, giving the twin weapon an innocent stare.

"But that'll ruin your- you know what? Cool. Get as much as you want." Liz said, giving into her sister's demand.

As Patty squealed with delight, Liz and Kid sighed with relief as the first bell rang, the students taking their seats. Soul chuckled at the pair, figuring those two would get together at some point. 'Good for them,' he thought, the silver haired weapon reaching his hand over to his meister.

The blonde girl maintained her gaze forward as she took his hand in her own, giving a gentle smile at the gesture. Their own pairing had been a long time coming, finally admitting to each other their feelings thanks to Patty commenting on how good they looked together. Soul would have to find a proper way to thank her, maybe a giant stuffed giraffe for Christmas. She'd love that, right?

"Well? What do you think, Jesse? Any ideas?" Lord Death asked in his typical sing-song voice, the teen remaining silent. The awkward tension in the air was palpable, both Death Scythes standing by, waiting with bated breath.

Seeing the girl wasn't willing to comment, the reaper flipped through the file once again, taking a better look at a view points of interest. The teen had _certainly_ been busy, appreciating the number of Kishin Eggs and witches the girl had managed to vanquish. Jesse _would_ be a good addition to the school, but where to place her was problematic. She had plenty of experience in the field, but no formal education to back it up, making the placement even more difficult.

Noting a blank space, Lord Death glanced back up to the bounty hunter, perplexed at the span of time missing from the records.

"Just what have you've been doing these last three years?" he questioned, Jesse's eyes widening at the inquiry. She _could_ tell him, but was now really the time? Noting the other adults in the room, she wasn't feeling particularly chatty about her life.

Avoiding eye contact, the teen looked down to the floor, the reaper watching as she fiddled with the bottom of her shirt, nervous under his gaze.

"You know, lil bit of bounty huntin' here and there, not much."

The weapon slowly looked up as the Lord of Death said nothing, unable to decipher anything from his mask. He knew there was more to it than that, what exactly, he wasn't for certain. He imagined it had something to do with the random reported deaths in New Mexico, all dying under mysterious circumstances, an area of the country the girl was from. Having no evidence to prove his theory, he gave up, knowing he'd find out eventually.

Straightening up, Lord Death shut the file, deciding to address another attribute of the bounty hunter, finding it most intriguing.

"I think," he began, forcing his audience to hold their breath, "that having such a talented bounty hunter would be a grand addition to the academy. Where to put her, is another issue…"

Raising a large gloved hand, he waved it, passively pondering aloud, "Perhaps we could make her an instructor."

That caught the pair's attention, both Death Scythes looking to each other with uncertainty.

"An, instructor?" Spirit questioned, looking the slip of a girl over. He had read the file as well, but didn't find anything noteworthy to denote her to such a position. A teenager being a teacher? He couldn't wrap his brain around it.

"Indeed," the grim reaper said, raising a finger up to give more weight to his point, adding, "after all, wouldn't a _witch hunter_ have a lot to teach our students? Wouldn't you agree, Miss McCoy? How does becoming a teacher sound to you?" he asked, noticing part of his comment had rubbed the teen the wrong way, staring a hole into the reaper's mask.

"Sounds like a terrible idea," the girl replied, flooring the elder faculty. Her comment apparently had the same impact on Lord Death, not hearing someone refuse a job offer before.

"Huh?" he asked, maintaining his innocent visage at the young woman's refusal.

Squaring up in front of him, Jesse gave him a stern look, akin to another female he knew, the Death Scythe Azumi giving him the same look on multiple occasions, making the wisened god flinch.

"If ya know what I am, then ya know I can't do that," she said, placing her hands on her hips, indignant that he would even ask such a thing.

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, taking on a tone as though he already knew, but wanted the child to explain.

Exhaling sharply, Jesse braced herself, spending enough time reading people to know what was going on, deciding at the moment to play along. If it had been anyone else, the teen wouldn't have hesitated to cut their throat.

"Those skills are passed down through generations of my family. I can' just go around teachin' people outside my clan our secrets. Sorry, but the answer's no. I won' be teachin' nobody."

The weapons flinched at the girl's declination, never seeing anyone outright refuse their boss. Being offered a faculty job at the DWMA was the highest honor a teacher could get, the list of eligible candidates incredibly slim, having to be either a meister or weapon.

Relenting, Lord Death moved on, turning away from the trio as he spoke aloud.

"That's okay. It was just a thought. Speaking of witch hunters," he said, coaxing the conversation where he wanted it to go, "while high ranking meisters can eventually gain such a title, hereditary lines have a, _different_ way, of going about this. Mind telling us what that is?"

He knew full well the methodology, but wanted the teen to inform his two death scythes, educating them on the subject. Jesse at first remained silent, making the adults nervous. If the Grim Reaper wanted you to do something, you did it, no questions asked.

Turning around, the teen flinched as Lord Death leaned in, waiting for the girl to play along, something she was unwilling to do, glancing over to the present company. Jesse was well aware of the implications that came with being what she was, always fearing someone would either try to kill her or look to continue the family line, by their own demented means. She wasn't too keen on divulging such delicate information, even if the Lord of Death himself wished it. The girl guessed he must have realized her predicament, sighing at her hesitance.

Waving his hand, Lord Death stated that it was alright to proceed, assuring her that everyone in the room was bound to keep whatever she said confidential, adding that it was only fair, since she was staying with Marie's family.

"Don't you think she deserves to know?" he asked, Marie giving an inquisitive look at the child. Jesse slumped her shoulders, feeling she indeed owed it to the blonde. Her husband had most likely saved her life, after all.

Witch hunters, she dryly explained, were created when a weapon and witch mated, the child of such a union blessed with more abilities than a typical weapon, namely locating witches even with their 'soul protect' engaged. The peculiar attribute interested the adults greatly, finding that skill in _dire_ need among the academy, no one else able to accomplish such a task. Lord Death added that while the skill _was_ valuable, witch hunters had the misfortune of being feared, since they were still technically half-breed children of witches.

Such hunters, he elaborated, were also always born female, the gender able to handle magical powers far better than males, a fact that had raised concerns in the past that some hunters may awaken latent magical abilities, becoming witches themselves.

Jesse chimed in, sternly voicing that such an event had never occurred, feeling the need to go on the defensive. She had spent her whole life being feared over that ridiculous myth, not wanting that rumor to follow her here, if she did end up staying.

"That we are _aware_ of." Lord Death countered, the comment making her blood run cold, fearful of what such a determination might entail for her. Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut and became a teacher, her immediate future on the line.

The reaper sighed, taking a moment to debate what to do with the spirited little red-head, forcing everyone to wait in anticipation. He eventually deemed it necessary for not only her safety, but for that of others, that she became a student at the academy, the adults in the room sighing with relief. He continued, feeling careful guidance and supervision would be beneficial for not only for honing her abilities, but for her to gain proper education and socialization.

"I think it'd be best if you began immediately," he stated, gaining no expression from the stunned teen.

"I'll be expecting great things from you." He said, wagging a gloved finger at her, the girl leaning back slightly at its proximity to her face.

"Be sure to do your best! I will be checking in from time to time to view your progress."

Taking a moment to think, Lord Death turned to his staff, proclaiming, "Since she's a witch hunter, I'll feel it'd be appropriate to have her registered as a 'restricted' weapon in our roster."

Marie and Spirit both gave a perplexed look, wondering over the reason for such a strict status.

Feeling the apparent need for elaboration, Lord Death explained that witch hunters had the disadvantage of not being able to link with other wavelengths easily, and typically more conditioned for combat, he reasoned that the status was warranted. Additionally, the grim reaper decreed that until further notice, she would only be permitted to fight under careful supervision of a meister and weapon pair of professors, since they weren't yet certain of the extent of her abilities.

Jesse grimaced at the proclamation, unappreciative of someone speaking as though she wasn't there. She was beginning to feel not so sure about all this, feeling a knot of anxiety twist in her stomach. The teen huffed in frustration, figuring she would have to her plans on the backburner for now…

As the two women departed, Lord Death returned to his low table, taking a sip of tea before looking over to his Death Scythe.

"Ah, we talked for so long my tea went cold. Oh well, still good…"

Spirit said nothing as the reaper continued to enjoy his beverage, sensing that his boss was preparing to say something. He still had occasional trouble with the ease Lord Death went about things, acting as though he hadn't a care in the world.

"Death Scythe," he finally said, the red-head straightening up.

"Yes sir?"

Placing his cup back on the table, the masked being glanced up to the artificial sky of the Death Room, appearing to be deliberating something.

"I'm sure Marie and Stein can handle it, but I'd like you to keep an eye on that girl."

Perplexed, Spirit took a step forward, his employer motioning for him to join. Taking a cup, the weapon took a sip, glancing over before speaking.

"Sure thing, but could I ask why? As you said, both of them should have a good handle on it."

Exhaling a wistful sigh, Lord Death returned his gaze to the ceiling. Something was definitely bothering him, that much Spirit knew. Even if it worried him so, the reaper would never voice to what degree, playing everything off with a light passivity.

"I don't think Jesse is as stable as she claims to be, that's all…" he said, taking another sip.

The Death Scythe relented, aware he wasn't going to get any more elaboration on the statement.

After multiple detours, the women finally arrived at class Cresent Moon. The young teen spared a glance up at the sign hanging above the doorway, gulping with apprehension. She had always been homeschooled, not spending much time around kids her own age. The girl prided herself on going about her business alone, taking on the adult responsibility of bounty hunting. The red-head doubted she had much in common with any of these children. What did they know about living off the land, constantly being on the move, tracking down your target for days, needing the money gained from the bounty to keep on living?

Marie offered up a smile, reaching for the door as she spoke, maintaining a hushed tone as to not interrupt the lesson.

"This'll be your main classroom. I'll get you a schedule for your other classes. Crona's the same age as you, so you'll know someone right off the bat. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, kay?"

The blonde paused, realizing that the child hadn't moved, trying her best to conceal her anxiety, giving a skeptical look as she looked in. All the students were reading a passage out of their books, scribbling randomly on a nearby notepad.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Marie asked.

Jesse maintained her composure, still uncomfortable with the thought of being an unknown place, having no chance to scope out the room, unaware of all the exits.

"The door was closed." She said, the obvious statement confusing her elder.

"Well, yeah it's closed, class is in session."

Noticing Jesse's discomfort, she hears Jesse mumble something about there being a lot of students in the room, able to get a good view of the auditorium from her angle. Realization hit Marie, figuring the girl must be nervous around large crowds in enclosed spaces. Smiling, she encouraged the teen to enter, opening the door wider, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. The blonde ushered in the nervous weapon, popping her head in to greet her husband.

"I'm dropping off a new student," she said, turning to the class while holding up a finger, encouraging the children to make her feel welcome.

"Thank you Marie. I'll take it from here," Stein said, his wife coaxing the hunter further in.

"Good luck," she whispered to Jesse, giving a light wave before departing, winking at the teen as she left the door ajar, gaining a thankful half smile from the girl.

The professor rose from his chair, formally announcing they had a new student joining them, asking the teen to introduce herself. Standing before everyone, the teen removed her hat, holding it gingerly in her hands as she spoke. She never had to do this before. What should she say? Realizing she had been silent for a while, she straightened up. 'Fuck it,' she thought, 'just give em what they need to know.'

"Jesse McCoy, restricted weapon status."

Her classmates gave a perplexed look, unsure of how to take such a short introduction. They whispered amongst themselves as Jesse took a seat, curious over the new addition.

"Restricted?"

"What's that?"

"Never heard of such a thing…"

Eyeing Crona, the boy flinched, giving the weapon a shy wave, figuring she would take the empty seat next to him. The boy was taken aback as the girl remained expressionless, turning away from him as she took the closest chair to the door. Glancing at the gaping door, she took a sigh of relief, comforted by the blonde's kind gesture. She was thankful beyond belief for the easy exit.

As the professor proceeded with his lecture, the teen's eyes went wide as he approached the door. She was crestfallen as he shut it without missing a beat, continuing to speak as he returned to his desk, picking up the chalk to write a point of interest on the board. Glancing around, the teen felt inept, watching as the others wrote furiously in their notebooks, having no supplies to follow suit. Not that she understood what he was talking about. She couldn't concentrate on anything, giving a nervous look to the door. Jesse had no choice now, she'd have to wait out the hour before she could get out of there.

As the class went on, Crona spared a glance in the weapon's direction, realizing she wasn't paying attention. The girl was preoccupied, trying her best to calm down and not run out of the room. The boy felt a little sorry for the girl, knowing the feeling well, being a new student himself not so long ago.

Having to share a book with a nearby classmate, Jesse leaned back, squinting at the words on the page. It was no use, the tiny lettering blurry and indecipherable to her. Huffing, she gave up, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair, trying her best to understand what the stitched up professor was talking about. It was a difficult task to accomplish, her racing heartbeat resounding in her ears, drowning out the teacher's words. The red head looked up to the clock, praying that her torment would soon end.

-RING-

Jesse was the first one out of the door when the bell went off, zipping out without saying anything to her new classmates, confusing all of them. What was her deal, they wondered.

Running down the hallway, the girl gained Marie's attention, talking to Nygus beside the nurse's office.

"Jesse?" the blonde called out, the red-head picking up her pace.

Bolting out the front entrance, Jesse hopped onto the staircase's banister, running down its length into the city, wanting to get as far away as possible. She didn't know what she was thinking, going along with Lord Death's decision. The girl didn't belong there, she didn't belong _anywhere_. Taking the nearest street corner, the teen ran with everything she had, stray tears rolling down her face.

Unbeknownst to Jesse, her actions were being watched by Lord Death, gazing upon his massive mirror as the girl disappeared into the city's depths, sighing at the unsuccessful attempt by the young weapon. Turning to his Death Scythe, he requested Spirit to go locate the child, guessing that being in a classroom was much too soon for her.

Grumbling, Spirit made his way throughout the city, disappointed that he wouldn't have time for lunch. Dusk settled over the landscape before he finally gave up, heading to a nearby bar to get a drink. Hopefully, he'd be able to grab dinner before heading out again, growing exceeding frustrated with his task. Just where was that kid hiding?

Walking in, the bell atop the door rang out, alerting the staff to a new guest. Spirit waved passively at the hostess as he took his usual seat at the bar, placing his order before something caught his eye. 'I'll be damned,' he thought. What was it they said about finding things, always in the last place you look?

At the end of the counter sat that last person he'd thought he'd see there, the young red-head sitting alone, nursing a drink. By the way she grimaced polishing it off, the Death Scythe guessed that it was whiskey, watching as the teen gingerly placed the glass among a menagerie of others, creating a pyramid out of the empty vessels.

Exhaling sharply, the man rose, walking over to take a seat next to the inebriated hunter, the girl unaware of his presence. Jesse rested her arms and head on the counter, a forlorn look spread across her face.

'What am I doin' here,' she thought, holding up a finger to the bartender, silently asking for another. 'Ain't no good at school, why should I _bother_ playing 'student'? I still gotta track O'Malley down…'

"You're a hard person to find," a masculine voice stated, pulling the weapon from her thoughts. Slowly rolling her head to the side, Jesse eyed the source of the voice, giving a look of disinterest at the Death Scythe.

"Kinda the point," she replied, returning her head forward. The teen's expression didn't change as the barkeep placed another drink in front of her, staring at the glass as the ice cubes finished whirling around in the amber liquid, wanting more than anything for the day to be over.

"I'm home," Crona called out, pulling off his shoes before entering the house. Though he gained no response, he could hear someone shuffling around in the back, making his way down the hallway as Stein exited the clinic, appearing to be in a bit of a rush.

"Hey Crona, Marie and the baby aren't back yet. Would you mind starting something for dinner?" he asked, the pink-haired youth nodding his head.

"Sure. Where're you going? Did a student get hurt?"

"Hm? No, nothing like that," his father responded, Crona following him to the front door as the scientist pulled on his shoes, adding, "Spirit found Jesse at a bar. I'm heading there now to pick her up."

"Oh," Crona said, recalling that he hadn't seen the weapon in his other classes. He felt a little guilty over the relief that brought him, not sure how to deal with such a gruff character.

"Is, is she okay?" he asked, his parent giving a half-hearted chuckle as he stood.

"Oh, I'm sure she's fine. A little _drunk_ maybe, but fine. That bar's in a bit of trouble, serving alcohol to a minor. Just what were they _thinking_?"

Opening the door, Stein looked back at the youth, stating that he'd be back in a while and to inform Marie where he was. She had a tendency to worry if he didn't send back word, their professions occasionally dangerous in nature.

"Okay, will do. Good luck." Crona said, Stein offering up a grin before shutting the door.

"Thanks," the professor muttered, raising a hand to adjust the screw mechanism on the side of his head, "I have the feeling I'm going to need it…"

"You _realize_ she's a minor," Spirit said sternly, glaring daggers at the bartender. The woman flinched, apologizing profusely, stating she didn't know.

"Make sure you I.D. from now on," he stated, pulling the drink out of the teen's hand, warranting a glare from the youth.

"Hey, I's drinking that!" she yelled, irritation growing in the girl, grumbling as she rested her head in her hand.

Spirit was unamused, threatening to turn the bartender in if she ever served a student again.

"I'm so sorry!" the busty blonde said, bowing deeply in apology, rushing to serve other patrons, asking for identification, giving a nervous glance over her shoulder.

The Death Scythe turned back to the teen, finding her glaring a hole into the mirror behind the bar.

"Finally got rid o my headache," she mumbled, having to contend with it for most of the day. She was slowly growing anxious, worried over the migraine returning. Jesse had finally found a place that would serve her, alcohol always being more reliable than water where she grew up. Oh well, she'd find another place, wasn't like they didn't have vending machines or anything. The teen resolved she'd find a buyer later, if all else failed.

Leaning back in her seat, the man watched as the teen pulled a cigarette out of her pocket, glaring indignantly at her when she asked him for a lighter. Rolling his eyes, Spirit turned away from the teen, staring at what the bar had to offer as he spoke to the girl.

"Those aren't good for you either, you know."

Jesse chuckled at the comment, finding a box of matches as she lit up, taking a defiantly long drag before exhaling it in his face, the weapon giving his junior a stern glare.

"Had a ma thanks, don' need 'nother one," she said, taking another inhale as Spirit took a sip of his drink. To hell with it, he thought, wasn't his kid. Besides, she was going to have enough problems when Stein showed up, Lord Death charging him with looking after the young bounty hunter. 'This kid's gonna be a handful. Crona's been a walk in the park compared to her.'

The Death Scythe eventually asked why she'd left the building, noting that the school day wasn't over.

"Couldn't take it," she said, taking another drag, adding that she didn't spend a lot of time around other people.

"How do they _take_ it, bein' all cooped up like that?" she asked, not bothering to look at the man, appearing not to care for an answer. Leaning against the counter, Spirit sighed, stating that it was just something kids had to do, warranting a scoff from the teen.

"Haven't ever been t' school. I did just fine on my own."

"No one's taught you?" he asked, surprised at the confession.

"Hm, ma did," she stated, stealing a sip from Spirit's drink while he was distracted by the voluptuous bartender.

"Hey!" he yelled, waving the kid off. He was beyond frustrated, in utter disbelief that his boss thought it was a good idea to have this child be a student. He sighed, having no choice but to stall long enough for Stein to get there, giving the teen the benefit of the doubt, considering she was drunk.

"If you don't want to be here, that's fine. I'm sure your mom must be worried about you."

"Heh, sure she would, is she was still kickin'," she said, taking a solemn drag, the man giving her a look of concern.

"So you don't have any family then?"

"None I care for anyway," she said, giving off the impression she no longer wanted to dwell on the subject.

Glancing over at the impressive pyramid, Spirit turned to the teen, noting her now somber mood.

"Be honest, do you even _want_ to be here?"

"Ah hell, I don' know," she confessed, turning around in the swiveled chair to lean backwards against the counter, staring up at the ceiling.

"If I's to be frank, I don' know if I belong anywhere. Haven't given much time to think that thought."

"Hmph, well if it's any consolation, a lot of people who feel that way find their way here. The DWMA has a habit of attracting such individuals. You're not alone in this," he assured, gaining a passive glance from the teen.

Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it, taking an inhale as he said, "Life's tough, kid, but you'll figure it out."

He narrowed his eyes as the teen chuckled at him, his frustration growing once again.

"And what's so funny?" he asked.

"Lil' bit of a hypocrite, don' cha think?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Givin me flack for smoking, yet here ya are." She said, pointing at his cigarette, taking a final drag as she put it out, tossing it into an ashtray.

"Welp, this has been something mister, but Ima leave now," she stated, standing up to walk away as Spirit grabbed her arm, surprising the teen.

"I called Stein. He'll be meeting us here to pick you up." He said, Jesse yanking her arm out of his grasp.

"I can fin my way around. Don' need no chaperone," she said, continuing to make her way towards the exit.

"Afraid you don't have a choice in the matter," Spirit said, the teen ignoring him as she opened the door, bumping straight into the silver-haired professor, unmoving as he gave her a stern look.

"Been wondering where'd you show up," he said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Jesse glared up at him, Stein tuning into his soul perception to gauge her. His eyes narrowed as he saw a mixture of emotions whirling in her soul, a tinge of anger, a dash of panic, and fear. What's she afraid of? He wondered.

"You agreed to be a student. That being said, we can't have a weapon skipping class and wondering the city on their own. Come on, Marie has dinner waiting," he said, holding the door opened for her.

She didn't budge, unused to people telling her where to be and what to do. Spirit stood a few feet away, anxious to see how the teen would react.

Jesse didn't like this, cautiously walking past Stein as the scientist followed after.

"Jus' for th' record, I didn't agree to nothin.'" She muttered, the tall man catching up to the teen within a few strides, the pair traversing along the narrow sidewalk, taking the long way through the park, the patchwork professor feeling the need for extended conversation.

After a long silence, Jesse finally glanced over, finding the scientist smoking a cigarette.

"Got 'nother one?" she asked, warranting a cautious glance from the professor. Shrugging, he shuffled around in his lab coat pocket, fishing out a pack.

"Here," he offered, the teen picking one out, leaning in as Stein held up a lighter.

The pair strolled past the lake, watching as the reddened leaves fell onto the water's edge, appearing to Jesse like little sparks of fire lighting up the still pond. The teen felt a lot like those leaves, falling aimlessly towards the earth, unknowing of their final destination.

Noting her solemn countenance, Stein let out a sharp exhale, the plume of smoke wafting through the air around them. He recognized that look, being all too familiar with how she was feeling. Strong willed, independent, dancing to the beat of her own drum, not feeling the need to go along blindly with convention, all feelings he once had to work through as a teenager.

The professor felt a kinship with the young woman, dropped off at the academy when he was but a child, unable to be controlled by anyone, needing the careful guidance only the academy could offer. He was still new to the role of a parent, learning as he went with his infant daughter. The scientist felt more at home with teenagers, able to address them as the young adults they were, guiding them through issues he himself dealt with. They understood far more than most adults would give them credit for, some needing more tact than others to get the desired result. With the kind of students that the DWMA attracted, tact was even more important.

"Tell me Jesse, how long have you lived on your own?" he asked, hoping to gain more information on his new tenant so he could figure out how to approach addressing the issue at hand.

The girl laughed at the question, taking another drag as she answered.

"Shit, that's a good one. Lemme see, guess since my ma died."

"Hm, how long ago was that?"

Finishing the cigarette, Jesse walked over to the lake, flicking the spent bud into it, watching the water ripple at the contact.

"I was six," she replied, pausing as she thought carefully over her next words, silently lamenting over the memory.

"Bein' a witch hunter, you can guess what my ma was," she said, Stein nodding as he voiced the word she wouldn't.

"She was a witch."

"Yeah, that. But you'd never figure if you'd met her."

Jesse stared out, thinking over how much time had passed since she last thought about her. Couple years, give or take? The girl had purposefully kept herself busy, finding hunting people down, the rush of adrenaline it gave her, filled the void in her heart that yearned for the gentle warmth of her mother's hug.

God, how she missed it. The young woman forgot long ago what her parent looked like, but she never could shake the memory of her embrace. How she smelled of fresh herbs from the garden, the sensation her sweet smile gave off, lighting up the room like sunshine.

Jesse never knew how different her mother was from other ones, figuring making potions and reciting healing incantations was the norm. Her childish world came crashing down around her the day she found out otherwise, visions of the lone woman strung up on a stake creeping into her consciousness.

The little girl had been held back by strong, harsh hands as the makeshift pier was ignited, bursting into flames around her. The screams are what haunted her the most, high-pitched wails finding their way into her darkest nightmares, struggling against the unrelenting grip to reach out to her mother, hot tears streaming down her face.

That day, her innocence was shattered, feeling rage for the first time, that very emotion pushing her forward, motivating her to continue living. Though many times, contrary thoughts had arose, the calming still that death offered tempting to the tortured hunter, wanting desperately to see her mother again. The youth choked back the lump in her throat, knowing that such a thing wasn't remotely possible…

"Jesse?" Stein asked, pulling her back to reality. Turning to face him, the scientist remained expressionless as he witnessed a lone tear creep down the teen's face, the recollection too much for the girl to handle.

Stiffening up, Jesse furiously wiped the tear away, trudging past the man towards their destination.

"Doesn't matter. She's dead, and there's nothin' anyone can do to change that," she coldly stated, not bothering to turn around as Stein stood momentarily alone, slowly trailing behind the teen.

Maintaining a healthy distance, the scientist peered into her soul, sensing strong rage and sadness welling up, a spark of something else buried underneath. Stein had first hand experience with that last one, eyes narrowing sternly at the recognition.

"Jesse," he said, the teen halting as the professor walked up, a contemplative look dancing across his countenance.

"Yeah?" she asked, unnerved by the length of time that had passed. Why was he looking at her like that? She wished he would knock it off.

Sharply exhaling, Stein flicked his spent cigarette away, pulling the glasses off his face.

"I don't know what kind of life you've had, and to be honest, I'm not going to pretend to understand," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, making her eyes go wide at the contact.

He continued, adding, "but I can assure you that if you decide to stay, you'll run into plenty of kids like you. A lot of our students come from rough backgrounds. They'll be able to get where you're coming from better than I can. Hell, you might end up making some friends along the way. Wouldn't that be a nice change of pace, finding others that understand you?"

Stein was met by a silent Jesse, stunned at the notion of having 'friends.' She had spent so much time alone, she wasn't sure what that would even be like, having to always be on the run.

"I don' even think I know how to make friends," she confessed, bowing her head as she looked away from him.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Stein replied, the teen whipping her head back up to him, giving her a grin.

"Just do your best, that's all anyone is asking. Do things at your pace and you'll be fine. You don't have to force any of this." He assured her, feeling the girl needed to hear those words more than anything.

Giving a light nod, Jesse straightened up, feeling for the first time like someone was talking on her level.

"Kay, I'll give it a shot." She said, a look of determination spread across her face.

"Hmph. Good. Now, let's get back home. I'm sure they're wondering where we're at."

Exiting the park, the pair finished up their journey in silence, the patchwork laboratory quickly coming into view. Opening the door, Stein was halted by the teen, reaching out to grab his arm.

"Hey," she said.

"Hm?"

"Well, thanks." She offered, gaining as warm a smile as the scientist could muster.

"Don't mention it," he said, motioning the weapon in, the student and teacher joining the family waiting on them.

 _Author's Note:_

 _Thanks for reading chapter three!_

 _Whew! That was a long one, thanks for hanging in there!_

 _Seems everything is calmed down, for now._

 _How will everything go for the witch hunter going forward?_

 _Will she be able to fit in at the academy?_

 _How will Crona and Jesse handle living under the same roof?_

 _Stay tuned!_

 _As always, reviews are encouraged and greatly appreciated._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four- Witch Hunter's Debut? The Quest for a Worthy Meister!**

 _(Author's Note: Soul Eater is owned by Atsushi Okubo. The only things the author owns are the OCs and story.)_

"Bye you two! Have a good day!" Marie called after the pair, waving wildly as she held her wriggling infant. They made their way to school, entering the park without saying a word to each other.

As pairs of students happily conversed around them, excited at what the day had in store, Crona glanced over to his new roommate. He was starting to feel indignant, neither speaking to the other all morning. It wasn't he didn't want to, the pink-haired boy just didn't know how to start a conversation with the cantankerous red-head. Staring straight ahead, Jesse didn't appear to notice. She was concentrated on bracing herself for the long day of classes, searching through her memory of the classroom to figure out where the best place to sit would be. Placing herself at the front caught a lot of attention, perhaps she should sit at the back, possibly by the window.

Unable to take the silence anymore, Crona cleared his throat, catching the girl's attention.

"So," he began, gaining an awkward look from the girl.

"Yeah?" she asked, finding the boy's hesitation annoying. Jesse knew she could be difficult, but seriously?

Exiting the park, the pair where a few blocks away from Ragnorak's favorite café, giving Crona an idea for an icebreaker.

"You, want to grab some coffee? We have enough time, if you want to," he said.

Pondering for a minute, Jesse looked over to the youth.

"Sure. Think they make a proper Irish?" she asked, skeptical she could get one so early in the morning.

"I, don't know what that is." Crona confessed, honestly not being much for coffee. He usually got tea, his favorite being Earl Grey with honey.

Ragnorak came forth, annoyed at his meister's lack of knowledge.

"You idiot. An Irish has cream liquor in it," the weapon proclaimed, warranting a strange look from the boy.

"How do you know that?" he questioned. Ragnorak had been a part of him for as long as he could remember. He didn't recall ever coming across such a drink.

The tiny demon sword scoffed at the inquiry, folding his stubby arms.

"I had a life before you," he stated. Crona had never given it much thought. He just assumed that the weapon had always been a demon sword.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Non ya, as in non ya business!" he yelled down at him, pulling at the teen's pink tresses.

"Oh, stop it. That hurts!"

"Make me pansy!" his partner yelled, their new classmate cringing at the display. They were starting to get some odd looks from passerby.

Grabbing the boy by the arm, Jesse pulled them into the shop, finding them at the end of a long line.

"Still have time?" she asked.

"Yeah, we should be alright," Crona said, checking his watch before answering.

Ragnorak groaned halfway through the line, realizing that the top-heavy barista was off shift that day. Crona rolled his eyes, feeling indignant at the weapon's griping. His partner found no point to waiting if she wasn't there, complaining about getting his drink from a guy barista.

"He'll just mess it up! No one makes it like Gina!" he yelled, pounding his little fists upon his meister's head. Crona ignored his tantrum, the dwindling size of the weapon causing no significant pain when he bopped him.

With his confidence growing, becoming comfortable in his new world, Ragnorak had begun to shrink smaller and smaller, a fact that made him worry. The weapon's size was about that of a dagger now, ineffective in long range combat. Tsubaki was right, he needed to find a new partner, and soon. The boy wasn't certain how much longer he'd be able to use Ragnorak, a fact that made him nervous. Though annoying and abusive, the demon sword had always been with him. He never voiced his worries to Ragnorak, but he was apprehensive at the thought that he might just disappear altogether, something he wasn't quite ready to deal with.

"That's not how you make it," Jesse finally voiced, both turning to face her.

Sighing, she gazed up at the massive board behind the counter, relieved it was far enough away to read.

"A true Irish has a shot o whiskey in it, then a small spoona lemon and orange juice."

"Oh, why the juices?" Crona asked, thinking the drink sounded weird.

"Yeah, sounds gross!" Ragnorak chimed in. The meister groaned at the weapon, thinking he was one to talk, preferring his coffee have pepper and cayenne in it.

Folding her arms, the girl looked forward, stating, "The citrus increases th' acidity while blendin' th' sweet notes of the Irish whiskey." She dryly stated, finding the combination obvious in her mind.

"Oh," he said, returning his eyes to the front. He found the description interesting, gaining a little bit of insight into the girl's mindset. She seemed to know a lot about flavors, perhaps she had an interest in cooking? He would like it if that was true, he was still learning and would appreciate some help in the kitchen.

Placing their orders, Crona pulled out his wallet to pay, pausing when he realized he was short. 'Great,' he thought, and this detour had been his idea. Seeing the panic in his eyes, Jesse huffed, pulling out an impressive wad of cash out of her pocket, handing some to the cashier. As they left, Crona rushed to catch up, taken aback by the amount of money she had.

"Where'd you get all that?" he asked.

Initially giving an odd look, she shrugged her shoulders, stating, "Had a life before here."

Walking along the cobblestone streets, the witch hunter glanced up to her roommate's passenger, the miniature weapon greedily sipping his beverage.

"So, what's your story?" she asked.

"Huh?" the partner's offered in unison, unsure of what she meant.

Cracking the lid of her cup open, Jesse removed a flask from her worn leather jacket, pouring in a fair amount of whiskey to her drink. 'Hell with it, least it's a half Irish now,' she thought, feeling a headache coming on. The teen glanced over as she took a sip, pointing up at the linked weapon.

"Hm? Not much to tell there. Hey! You gonna hog that all to yourself?!" Ragnorak yelled, opening up his own cup.

"I'm older than both of you anyway! Come on Red, fill er up!"

Jesse chuckled as she pulled her flask out again, standing on her tiptoes as she filled part of his cup. Crona cringed at the camaraderie, not too thrilled about his weapon drinking alcohol.

"Hey, I'm going to feel that too you know," he said, pleading eyes peering up at his partner. The weapon scoffed at him, stating that the meister needed to loosen up a little, something that the red-head appeared to agree with.

"Sure do. Can't stop till ya start, am I right?" she said, gaining a grin from the tiny passenger.

"Hell yeah! Cheers!" he proclaimed, the two weapons tapping their paper cups together, much to Crona's chagrin.

He couldn't believe that of all people, Jesse was becoming friends with Ragnorak first. They did have a bit in common, when he thought about it. Neither really seemed to care what others thought, doing as they pleased regardless of the consequences. Guess it made sense, he thought, taking a solemn sip of his beverage. The boy started to feel dizzy, feeling the effects of the drink as his weapon chugged the concoction down. He hoped he would be able to keep it together in class, embarrassed beyond words if anyone found out he was tipsy.

"So, what the hell are ya?" she asked, her previous question going unanswered.

"Well I'm definitely not a tumor," Ragnorak quipped, reminding the weapon of her prior statement.

"Hell, I figured that much," she replied, ignoring his attempt.

Tossing his cup into the street, the weapon retracted back into his meister's body, suddenly feeling the need to nap. Jesse looked to Crona, awaiting an explanation. The youth groaned, attempting to pull his thoughts together to give the best answer he could muster.

Jesse patiently listened as the boy elaborated on how the pair came to be, giving a light laugh as she was forced to help him up the staircase of the academy. She was amused at how much of a light weight the teen was, barely getting a buzz from her drink. 'Cripes, it was only three shots,' she thought to herself, agreeing with the small weapon's observation of him being a pansy.

As he finished his story, the pair made it up to the entrance, Crona thanking her for helping him.

"Sure thing," Jesse replied, feeling a tinge of guilt over getting the boy drunk before class. 'Might as well stick close to him,' she thought. The hunter didn't feel like getting in trouble again. 0-2 didn't really appeal to her, especially on her second day of school.

Something the teen had said caught her attention, a witch being responsible for melting down Ragnorak and replacing the boy's blood with the mixture. He explained that they were inseparable, two people bond to the same body. It sounded rough to her, not being able to imagine having another person fused with her. Being under a witch's control for over a decade sounded unbearable, the meister gaining some respect in her eyes for surviving such an ordeal. 'Maybe he's not as weak as I thought.'

Reaching out, Jesse grabbed his arm, curious over the identity of the enchantress. Crona eyes went wide at the question, never having to divulge such information. Everyone relevant in his life already knew. Hell, they'd met her. The boy's eyes glanced to the ground, his flushed face making the girl smile. He was kind of cute, all flustered and drunk, unsure of what to say.

"She, she was my mother. Sorry, my biological mother." He corrected himself, wanting to distance himself from the woman as much as possible. Though she birthed him, Medusa had never acted like his mother. That designation went to Marie. His adopted parent more than made up for the hell the witch had put him through, always having a kind word or hug for the shy child.

Jesse's smile faded at the confession, feeling bad for pressuring him to reveal such a thing to her. She was a stranger to him, and he was disclosing things about his life she was sure he would be too nervous to state if sober. The hunter glanced away, the pair held tight by an awkward silence.

Crona was growing anxious, wondering what a witch hunter would think about living with a halfling child. He bowed his head, figuring that this would be the beginning and end of any kind conversations between them. He prepared for the worst, his eyes going wide with shock as the girl behind him said the last thing he expected to hear.

"My ma was a witch too." She said, feeling she need to disclose something unpleasant about herself. Though her relationship with her mother was close, her father was another issue, everything going to hell in a handbasket after her mother was killed. Still, her mom being what she was caused so much heartache and pain, more than enough for a few lifetimes.

Glancing over his shoulder, Crona watched as the hunter slowly approached him. Her solemn look denoting a sense of understanding, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's how someone like me's made, my pa being a weapon. They didn't mean to, but they fell hard for each other, willin' to be on the run all the time for doing what they'd done. For bringin' me into the world," she said, barely at a whisper as she divulged her deepest regret, feeling partially at fault for what had happened to her family. If she had just been born a boy, no one would have been the wiser, free to live their lives as they pleased.

Taking in a deep breath, her attention was brought to the tight binding around her chest, unable to inhale as much as she'd like. The girl had hated the fact to the contrary, despising her growing chest for being a constant reminder of all she'd lost. What she would give to go back in time, finding some way to fix everything that had transpired.

"Jesse?" the boy asked, the red-head turning her attention back to him. The look he gave her made her nervous, regretting she had told him.

Straightening up, Crona offered a light grin, stating that they should probably get to class. He wasn't too keen on being late again. Deep down, he was thankful that the hunter told him a little about herself. The girl gave a half smile as she followed after the youth, both silently feeling a little better about not being the only halfling in the room.

The pair entered the threshold, relieved to find the door still opened up.

"Hey, look who the cat dragged in," Liz teased, the group halting their discussion as they turned to greet their friend and classmate.

"What's up Crona?" Soul asked, smiling at the pair as he leaned back in his chair, his feet up on the table.

"Oh, uh, not much. Everyone, this is, Jesse. Is it okay if she sits with us?" he asked, gaining a nod of approval from the silver-haired weapon.

"Sure thing. The more the merrier."

As the teens took their seats, Jesse placed herself right next to Crona, taking the chair closest to the middle aisle. 'This won't be so bad,' she thought, feeling at ease as she tilted her cup back, finishing off her morning cocktail.

"Woah, what's that smell?" Black Star asked, his keen nose picking up the smell of alcohol.

Jesse froze, worry washing over her. 'Shit.' The girl's job for the day was taking attention off them, lest they risk anyone finding out that Crona was intoxicated. Oh well, she could play it to her advantage, used to her role as the raucous outsider.

"Someone getting the party started early?" the blue-haired assassin inquired, voice dripping with sarcasm. Turning around to face the boy, the hunter gave a playful smile, holding up her cup for all to see.

"Can't stop till ya start," she said, expecting to gain the same reaction the demon sword had given. She had made a bad miscalculation, Crona slamming his head against the desk as his friends were rendered silent. Squirming in their seats, Soul put his legs down, allowing Maka to peer over him.

"Um, we're not allowed to have alcohol in here," the pig-tailed meister informed her, met by an innocent stare from the new girl.

"Oh, really? Huh, okay. My bad…" she said, walking over to the trash can to throw the cup away. Slowly approaching the group, Jesse scratched the back of her head, taking her seat next to her roommate. She figured she should say something, the group's jovial nature left in a tense silence.

"Hey, uh, sorry bout that. I didn't know."

Wiping out a cigarette, the hunter turned to Maka, warranting a wide eyed look from the meister.

"Can I smoke at least?"

"No, you can't do that either."

Hearing something drop on the table, Jesse whipped her head around to look at it, quickly finding the source of the object. Stein was glowering down at the teen, his stern eyes causing her to flinch.

"Nicotine gum. Use it," he stated, turning away as he walked up to the front of the room, opening up a book. The doctor had spent a long night in the clinic, not in the mood to deal with any adverse behavior that day.

"Turn to page 215 of your textbook. We're going to look at the finer points of phasmology today."

Following suit, the students opened up their books, perusing the words on the page. Knowing she didn't have the text yet, Crona leaned over, pushing his book to the middle of them. Jesse glanced over, huffing as she returned her gaze to the board, unable to decipher the tome's words.

Furrowing his brows, the boy pulled the book back to himself, feeling dejected as he read along, misunderstanding the reasoning behind the teen's defiance. She didn't have the heart to tell him she couldn't read it, the lines of sentences appearing like a blur to her. Jesse hoped the professor would be writing a bit up on the board. She could see that just fine.

Just as she was starting to get into the lesson, the intercom system ticked on, Stein pausing as the announcement rang out.

"Jesse McCoy, please report to the nurse's station. Jesse McCoy, to the nurse's station."

All eyes were quickly on her, the red-head sinking down in her seat at the attention.

"Jesse," Stein said, pointing to the door. He watched as the girl slowly rose from her chair, walking down the aisle towards the exit.

"Know what it's bout?" she asked, the stitched up teacher shrugging his shoulders.

"Who knows. It's down the hall to your right. We'll go over what you missed at home." He said, returning to his task as he finished writing on the board.

"Now, the part you need to know for the upcoming test concerns this minute structure here. This particular factor is crucial to proper soul resonance…."

Jesse walked down the vacant halls towards the nurse's office, apprehensive as to why she was summoned. Did someone rat her out? Will Crona get in trouble too? The thought was making her antsy, used to being under scrutiny herself, yet not wanting to drag someone down with her.

Jesse paused as she made it to the door, hesitant to open it. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to the handle, the door creaking as she entered, shutting it slowly behind her, the hinges squeaking in protest. Turning around, she was confronted by the sight of two people, Sid and Nygus staring her down.

Folding her arms, the teen returned the stare, her face stern as she waited for one of them to speak. Faced with silence, Jesse removed her hat, braving a few steps forward to gaze in at the glass shelving, filled to the brim with a number of medical supplies and jars.

"So, mind tellin' me what I'm doin' here?" she asked, walking over to a chair as she reached for a cigarette. Assuming the reaction she'd get, she settled for the packet of gum as she pulled out the small white piece, the outer coating crunching against her teeth as she chewed.

Taking a step towards her, the bandaged nurse maintained her gaze upon the teen, cradling a clipboard against her.

"Nothing special, just needing to do a physical for our records. Every student gets one before going out into the field," Nygus stated, motioning the girl over to an exam table. Hopping up on the cold slab, Jesse swung her legs back and forth, feeling like a small child as her feet dangled over the edge.

"Sweet, bout time we got to it," she stated, grinning at the pair.

"I've been itching to kill me some witches. Come on, I won't bite cha," she said, teasing at the caution the teachers were using.

Glancing over at the zombie, her smile grew wider, knowing he was most likely there as a protective detail.

"He gotta be in here? A lady's due her privacy, after all."

Nodding to her meister, Sid made his exit, his shadow visible on the other side of the frosted glass.

"Hmph, what's his deal?" she asked, the nurse saying nothing as she proceeded with the examination, placing a blood pressure cuff around the hunter's arm. Realization came to her. 'He's here in case I run,' she thought, watching as the weapon scribbled down some notes after removing the cuff.

She couldn't help but chuckle at the reinforcement, warranting a passive glance from the nurse. She knew that Lord Death had decreed that she needed close supervision while fighting, the teen unaware that there'd be two instructors every time it was necessary to confront her alone. Figuring that the rules must've changed after her sudden departure the day before, she took out another piece of gum, disinterested in whatever the female was doing.

Nygus received her undivided attention when she pulled out a needle, grimacing as the nurse approached her.

"What's that for?" she asked, scooting back as the woman got closer, keeping a close eye on the sharp instrument.

"Every EAT student gets a full blood panel. The academy needs to make sure the people they send out are healthy." Nygus reasoned, placing the needle on a nearby table as she wiped an alcohol-soaked cotton ball against the inside of her elbow. Jesse squirmed, grimacing at the hypodermic needle, acting as though the object would jump up and bite her.

"Don' like needles," she said, the weaponized nurse pausing as her hand neared the pointy object, turning a sympathetic look at the nervous teen. The hunter's skin had went pale, pupils dilated as she gripped the sides of the table, going white knuckled. Nygus felt a little guilty. The kid was obviously petrified, regretful that the deed had to be done.

Lifting the syringe in the air, Nygus braved a few steps towards the teen.

"Sorry kid. I gotta do it. Hope you won't hold it against me."

Leaning away, Jesse started to panic, her body going in a cold sweat. Not only did she hate needles, the hunter knew what the nurse would find if she looked at her blood, the girl drinking far more than the coffee she had that morning.

The teen hadn't been drunk that night at the bar, dividing her drinks between herself and the flask in her pocket, the metal tinging lightly against the steel table. The container was completely empty, polishing off half of it before leaving her bedroom, building up the courage to go back to school. If they found out, she imagined she'd be in some trouble. The way her classmates had reacted earlier telling her all she needed to know.

"Touch me wit' that, an' I'll stab ya in the heart wit' it." She coldly warned, pushing herself against the stone wall as Nygus paused.

"Come on, it'll be over in a second. I'm pretty good, you won't even feel it." The bandaged weapon said, growing frustrated as the teen hopped off the table, rushing around to find an exit.

"Nuh uh, no way," she replied, eyes darting around, the main route blocked by the zombie outside. Eyeing a window, Jesse made her decision, flying a fist at the nurse, the teen quickly finding herself slammed into the ground.

"Sid!" Nygus called out, the meister rushing in as the weapon pinned the girl to the floor.

"Git the hell off me!" Jesse screamed, wriggling furiously as the pair switched out, the tall zombie pulling her up while keeping her in a head lock.

"Come on, kid. It's just a little needle," Sid stated, grunting as the slight teen thrashed against him.

"I don' wanna! Let me go! I want outta here!"

Getting her good arm free, Jesse transformed it, keeping Nygus at bay as she swung wildly. The girl was in full panic mode. She no longer cared if someone got hurt, so be it. It was their own damned fault.

"Hey! Knock it off right now!" Sid hollered, receiving a head butt from the girl for his troubles.

"Go to hell, rot bucket!" Jesse yelled back, wincing as the meister's grip tightened.

"I can' breathe!" she called out, beginning to hyperventilate as tears streamed down her face. She felt like the room was closing in around her.

"What the hell is going on in here?!"

The trio turned to see Stein standing in the doorway, stunned at the scene before him.

"We can hear you down the hallway. Sid, for cripe's sake, let her down!" he demanded, the zombie realizing how quickly the situation had spiraled out of control.

Crumpling to the floor, the girl gasped, greedily getting as much air into her lungs as possible. Nygus took a step towards the men, calmly explaining what had happened. Glancing down at the kneeling teen, the professor approached her, helping her up as he took her back to the table.

"I'll take it from here. Sid, would you mind taking my place? I was finishing up a lecture on soul resonance."

Looking over to the distressed student, Sid agreed, silently leaving the room to head to the classroom. Giving Nygus an assuring nod, the weapon departed, heading to the Death Room to fill out an incident report.

Pulling up a chair, the professor sat backwards in it, watching as his newest tenant sobbed through her gasps, hugging herself in an attempt to calm down. Pulling out a pack, Stein pulled out two cigarettes, holding one up to the teen.

"Guess the gum didn't cut it, huh?" he asked, Jesse saying nothing as she reached out a shaky hand to retrieve the tobacco. Her hands maintained their shake as she leaned over to the flame of his lighter, quickly removing the stick as she sharply exhaled, the professor replacing the lighter back in his pocket.

"Mind telling me what that was all about?" he inquired, the man's calm nature in sharp contrast to the lively commotion she was just a part of.

"Don' like needles," she offered, hoping the meister would swallow the half-lie.

"Hm, kind of overkill, don't you think?" he asked, inhaling a long drag, looking skeptically at the child.

Contemplating, he locked eyes with the hunter, knowing that she was hiding something.

"There any reason you didn't want them taking a sample? All students have to do it."

Glaring over at him, Jesse took another drag of the cigarette, preferring to smoke over talking. Realizing she still held his gaze, she groaned, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged. Stein crossed his arms over the back of the chair, tapping his fingers against his sleeve. It was no use, he wasn't going to let her out of this. By the way he carried himself, the professor gave the impression he had all day to wait.

Sighing, Jesse bowed her head, holding the cigarette gingerly in her good hand, flicking the ember lightly.

"Yeah, there's a reason," she finally said, receiving a narrowed look from the doctor.

"Figured as much. Is it the same reason Crona's been acting funny?"

She wasn't expecting that, turning her bowed head away from the meister.

"Odd? Odd how?" she asked, feigning ignorance. Stein took another drag a before speaking.

"Enough crap, kid. What did you take?" he asked, the teen shrinking at the statement. She knew she was in deep now, might as well fess up.

"Whiskey. I had a flask," she said, pulling the empty canister out her pocket, holding it up to the teacher.

"Crona didn't drink any, but Ragnorak did…" Jesse mumbled as he took the flask out of her hand, shaking it to see if there was any more.

"Hm," was the only response she received, anxious over what the meister would do. Will he throw her out, call her a lost cause? Would he have to tell Lord Death about this?

Jesse held her face in her hands. Why did she always do this? All she managed to do was mess everything up. Now she dragged an otherwise good kid into it.

"Sorry," she weakly offered, the doctor glancing up at the hunter. Tears flowed out as she awaited his reply, prepared for the worst. They had treated her so nicely, and all she had done was throw it back in their face. Why does she act like this? Of course no one wanted her, feeling confirmation to what her father always said. She was a mess, a total train wreck. All she did was push others away. She deserved to be alone, she thought, sobbing harder as Stein went unnoticed as he approached her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't throw me out," she said, the professor frozen in place at her last statement. Throw her out? Why would he do that? He watched as the teen looked up at him, green eyes blazing through her tears.

"I know I ain't any good, I know I'm just trash, but please don't kick me out. I don', I don' know…"

Jesse went wide eyed as Stein reached over, placing a hand upon her head, ruffling her hair. Exhaling sharply, he said, "You're not trash, Jesse. You just have a problem. Everyone has their vices. Hell, I'd have to throw myself out."

The red-head peered up as he removed his hand, a confused look on her face.

"Is, is Crona gonna be in trouble?" she asked, receiving a grin from the professor.

"I'll be having a talk with Ragnorak, but no, Crona won't be in trouble."

She sighed with relief, thankful that at least the boy wouldn't be receiving any punishment. He didn't do anything, after all. Fiddling with her fingers, she glanced at the floor as she asked, "So, does, does that mean that you won' be tellin' Lord Death bout this?"

"Oh no, I'm definitely telling him. You're not getting off that easy," he bluntly stated, letting out a laugh at the disappointment in the teen, groaning at the proclamation.

"Tell you what, I'll offer up a treatment plan to get you off the booze. I think Lord Death will appreciate a proactive approach over expelling you right off the bat," Stein said.

The girl's eyes lit up at the news, her face beaming in appreciation at the offer.

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Sure, as long as you're willing to comply with the treatment."

"I'll do it! Whatever ya want!" she exclaimed, leaning forward from her perch.

The professor's eye twitched, holding back a maniacal smile as he replied, "Careful, you might regret that."

Exiting the office, Stein escorted the teen back to class, explaining since class was over, he would head to the Death Room to talk with the grim reaper.

"Kay but, why do I havta come here?" she asked, the professor turning away as Sid approached the girl.

"Sid was supposed to take you on a tour of the school. He'll be helping you find a partner."

"Eh, seriously?!" she asked, feeling incredibly indignant for her prior assumption.

Turning to the zombie, Jesse cringed as she looked up at him, the meister's nose plugged up with tissues to stifle the bleeding. Letting out a nervous laugh, Jesse bowed her head, ashamed of her handiwork.

"Uh, sorry, bout yur face," she said. Sid stretched before heading out the door, waving his hand at the apology.

"You aren't the first kid to do it, and you won't be the last. Got a good workout at least, holding you still," he said, the student following close behind him.

"So you jus gonna forgive me, jus like that?" she asked skeptically.

"Yup. No use holding grudges. You must really hate needles," Sid said, chuckling at how much the child had panicked.

Looking away, Jesse's face flushed with embarrassment, realizing she'd caused quite a scene.

"Yeah…"

Finishing up the tour, the pair stopped outside the massive field where students were preparing to spare, the student pairs helping stretch each other out. Turning to the red-head, the undead meister placed his hands on his hips, grinning.

"So, ready to find a partner? Everyone's out for gym class. Go ahead, don't be shy," he said, giving the teen a slap on the back, pushing her onto the field.

"Sure that's a good idea? I ain't allowed to fight less there's two of ya," she said, the teacher waving at Marie across the way.

"I'll be sticking around, no worries."

Jesse groaned as the two approached the blonde instructor, the woman waving happily.

"Hey guys! Did you enjoy the tour? Quite a big place, huh?" she asked, the student scratching the back of her head.

"Yeah, wus fine," she said, Marie motioning her to join the others.

"Get out there! Let's see if we can find you a meister!" the Death Scythe called out, cheering on the red-head.

"Easier said th'n done," Jesse muttered, looking out to the numerous students. Most of them were already sparing, pairing off into teams of four, established partners squaring up against their fellow classmates.

Sighing, she walked over to a small group sitting on the sidelines as they watched on.

"Hey," she said, gaining the group's attention, Crona sitting amongst them.

"Any o ya meisters?" she asked, gaining a handful of raised hands in response.

"Well, any y'all wanna try and use me?" she asked, the meisters standing up.

"Sure thing," one replied.

"Wouldn't hurt to try, right?" another questioned, Jesse giving the excited students a half-hearted smile.

"Yeah…wouldn't hurt…"

Jumping up in the air, the teen transformed, a large broadsword swinging back to the ground, plunging into the dirt.

"Sweet! You're a sword!" a student exclaimed, eyes dancing with excitement at the discovery. Crona kept to the back of the crowd, patiently waiting in the forming line.

"Awesome! Whose going first?" a girl near the front asked, a tall, muscular boy approaching the blade.

"This weapon's too heavy for someone scrawny like you! Watch how it's done."

Reaching a meaty hand out, the boy was shocked before he even touched the transformed hunter, falling back on his behind. A vein pulsed out of his temple as his peers laughed heartily at his expense, the teen quickly getting up to approach the sword.

"What the hell was that about?! I didn't even touch you!"

"I can' help it!" the weapon called out, wriggling defensively.

Another youth stepped forward stating, "It all depends on your wavelengths. You guys must not be a match is all."

The boy grumbled, walking away from the group to plop down some distance away.

Some students got further than others, being able to at least touch the large blade. Picking her up was another issue, all struggling to pull the weapon out of the ground. Jesse grew frustrated, yelling at a few when their wavelengths flowed into her, backfiring as she was shocked upon contact.

Hearing the whistle, everyone prepared to go back inside, Jesse transforming back as she sat on the grass. She was sighing at her misfortune as Crona approached, holding his arm, nervous to talk to the frustrated weapon.

"I can' believe this! Not one could pick me up? What a crock o' shit!" she exclaimed, reclining back as the boy stopped short of her, sitting down beside the red-headed teen.

"Hey, uh…" Crona trailed off, unsure of how the weapon would react to his offer.

"Do you, mind if I try?" he asked, warranting a confused glance from the young hunter.

"Don' chu already got a partner?" she asked, Ragnorak bursting out of the teen, berating the pink-haired boy.

"Yeah, he does! What the hell am I, chopped liver?!" the weapon yelled as he yanked at the teen's hair, the pair getting into a mini grappling match.

"What, just because I'm smaller now I'm not good enough for you?!"

"That hurts, stop it!" Crona yelled, stubby arms pulling at the boy's cheeks, pulling him back and forth as Jesse watched on, cringing at the display.

"You better watch yourself! I'm gonna put thumbtacks in your shoes! Good luck finding them!"

"Hey guys," Jesse said, sitting up as she put up a hand, trying to calm the pair down.

"No, I can't take that! Thumbtacks hurt!" Crona called out, neither hearing her over their bantering.

"No shit sherlock! That's the point!" Ragnorak yelled back, Jesse standing up, unnoticed by the pair.

"HEY!" she yelled, the two whipping their heads up to the girl.

"WHAT?!" Ragnorak hollered, Crona waiting to hear what she had to say.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Jesse exhaled sharply as she returned her gaze to them.

"Look, if ya really wanna try it…then fuck it. Give it a shot," she said, transforming once again.

Standing up, Crona approached the large weapon, his current partner scoffing as he retracted back into his body. Her weapon form was rather impressive, especially up close. The massive blade was double-edged, sharpened to razor precision. Up the middle, Crona noticed intricate patterns, realizing upon closer inspection that the patterns were actually writing, some of the letters he recognized. 'Witch writing? On a witch hunting blade?' The irony was not lost on him, considering the girl's heritage. To think, it took a witch to create a witch hunter…

"So, we gon' do this or what?" the weapon asked, growing impatient with the ogling youth.

"Yeah, sorry."

Reaching out, Jesse rolled her eyes, figuring the same result would be had with her roommate. He was so damned skinny, there was no way he'd be able to pick her up. The red-head was left speechless as she felt herself lifted off the ground, the experienced swordsman swinging the blade with ease through the air. Picking up the pace, Crona flung the sword up, catching it as he thrusted the weapon forward, parrying against an imaginary opponent. The youth halted after giving the air a final slice, watching as a stray leaf split right down the middle, the helpless foliage falling silently to the ground.

The broadsword glowed as Crona released it, Jesse shifting back into her human form. The teens looked at each other in stunned silence, turning their heads to the source of the cheering they heard from the stands. His friends had been watching for some time, deciding to stick around to see how everything went. Patty squealed with delight, her sister whistling at the pair. Maka waved as Soul remained seated, giving an approving smile. Kid and Tsubaki grinned on as Black Star hopped on top of the fence, cheering loudly at the pair.

"Hell yeah! Bout freaking time!" the assassin hollered, jumping down to approach the youths. The small crowd followed suit, congratulating Crona on finding a new partner.

"This is awesome, now you can join us on missions again." Soul said, grinning at the two as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Maka glanced to the silent red-head, the girl standing to the boy's side as his friends excitedly welcomed him back to the field. Jesse was feeling incredibly out of place, feeling a bit like she had been conned into agreeing to the attempt. Reaching out, the pig-tailed meister touched the weapon's shoulder.

"Hey, this is kind of a big deal for you too, right? You've never been able to match wavelengths with anyone before huh?" she asked, the group turning their attention to the hunter. They had been so focused on their friend finding a new partner, they kind of forgot about the young hunter. They instantly felt bad, leaving the girl out of the celebration.

Throwing an arm around her shoulder, the silver-haired weapon grinned at her, the teen remaining speechless.

"Hey, sorry about that. Crona's been looking for months, we just got caught up in the excitement. Guess that makes you part of the group now," he said, Jesse giving him a half smile.

"Yeah, guess so. Thanks." She said, Black Star joining his buddy, throwing an arm around her open shoulder.

"We should go out and celebrate! They got that new sushi joint downtown. You in?" Black Star asked, Jesse's eyes lighting up at receiving the invite. She'd never been asked to join in on a night out, relishing the thought of painting the town.

"You betcha," she said, offering to pay for the group's meal, since she knew the rest of them had a limited amount for their allowance.

"You don't have to do that, we're the ones who invited you," Tsubaki said, the hunter waving a hand at the concern.

"S'all good. Got plenty a cash from m' last bounty. Been burnin' a hole in my pocket," she admitted, patting her jacket.

The blue-haired assassin lit up, proclaiming, "Oh man, I'm gonna eat so much food I throw up!"

"Hey, that's not cool man. She just offered to foot the bill, not go broke." Soul quipped, feeling embarrassed enough for the both of them. Just as well, knowing his buddy had no since of shame.

"That's cool, bet I can eat more," Jesse replied, making Black Star laugh at the challenge.

"I'm gonna make you eat those words," he said, taking a few steps over to the rest of the group.

"Well, what're we waiting for? Onward to sushi!"

Jesse walked up to her new meister as the teens trailed off, Crona pulling out a small mirror to make a call.

"Hey Stein, Jesse and I will be out for a while. Our friends wanted to take us out to celebrate."

"Oh?" the doctor said, intrigued.

"What exactly are we celebrating?" he asked, pretty sure he already had a good idea.

"Finally find a new partner?"

"Uh, yeah, actually," he said, tilting the mirror over to include Jesse, the girl giving a light wave.

Stein grinned at the scene, leaning back in his chair. He had been finishing up grading papers when his son called, thankful for a good excuse for the break.

"Good. I'm glad you guys got that sorted out. Hope you have fun. And Jesse? Behave yourself. No drinking, alright?"

The teen gave a thumbs up, remembering their prior agreement.

"You got it." She said, Crona giving the girl a panicked glance. He forgot about the girl's penchant for alcohol.

"Good. See you when I see you then." Stein said, waving at his charges.

"Bye," the pair said, disconnecting the call as Marie entered her husband's office. Draping her arms around the professor, the blonde rested her head against Stein's neck, smiling warmly as she closed her eyes.

"I think it's a good thing they paired up." She said, feeling him nod in agreement.

"It's not surprising when you think about it. They're both children of witches. It makes sense they'd be able to link so easily. Wish we would have thought about that sooner." He confessed, being far too busy to put that simple correlation together.

"I just hope it all works out," he added, leaning back against his wife as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked, giving the doctor a questioning look.

Stein grunted as he rose from the chair, stretching before turning to face his spouse.

"While I'm glad they both found partners, there are a few concerns I have regarding those two."

"Oh, like what?" Marie innocently asked, Stein sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His wife really had a bad habit of always looking on the bright side of things.

"Well, I'll have to have a talk with them about not using soul resonance. Crona's black blood runs a significant risk of spreading to her if they resonant too high or for long durations. That, and Jesse's wavelength is too unstable to handle much in the way of matching with Crona. It was honestly a miracle they could link up at all…"

They pair thought for a moment, Marie raising a finger up to get his attention.

"Well, if you're worried about instability, Crona's really grown up in the last year. I think he'll be a good influence on her. That, and you'll be working with her to help her get over her addiction. I believe it'll work out better than what you think."

Locking eyes with his spouse, he let out a sigh, knowing that he was probably overthinking the issue.

"I suppose you're right. We'll just have to wait and see how this all pans out…"

Realizing they had an empty house for the evening, Marie snaked her arms around her husband's neck, reaching up to plant a gentle kiss on him.

"The kids are out and the baby's sleeping. You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked, giving the meister a sultry smile. Stein's eyes lit up, grinning as he pulled the weapon close, catching Marie in a passionate kiss.

"I think I can make time in my schedule for that," he whispered huskily in her ear, making the woman giggle.

"You know, with Aura growing up so fast, I was thinking we try for another soon," she confessed, the man halting halfway down the hall.

"Don't you think having three kids in the house is enough right now?" he said, lightly chuckling at his wife's desire to have a yard full of children.

"Tell you what," he said, putting a hand against the wall, "let's get the older two out of the house, and we'll revisit the matter in the future," he said, Marie pulling her hair out of its bun, her blonde tresses falling around her shoulders.

"I can handle that," she said, Stein giving a warm smile as he pulled his glasses off, laying them on a nearby table. For what they were about to do, a fully 'hands on' approach was far more appropriate…

 _Author's Note:_

 _Thank you for reading chapter four!_

 _I got a feeling that these chapters are going to continue to be long ones._

 _Good thing you guys like them that way, right?_

 _Anyway, seems Jesse and Crona have a night of fun ahead of them!_

 _How will the evening go? And how will their partnership continue to develop?_

 _What will Ragnorak have to say about all this?_

 _Stay tuned to find out!_

 _As always, reviews are encouraged and greatly appreciated._


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